


Happy Holidays

by multifandomfics



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 20:04:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18268439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/multifandomfics/pseuds/multifandomfics
Summary: Upon finding out that Natasha hadn't experienced any holidays while in Red Room, Clint goes out of his way to make every holiday special.





	Happy Holidays

**Author's Note:**

  * For [melsmalone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/melsmalone/gifts).



> This is a gift to my fabulous friend/beta Anne. I wrote this for her as a Galentine's Day gift a little over a month ago. I have looked it over but it is technically not beta read as it was a gift to my beta!

            One of the most horrific things that Clint had learned about Natasha’s upbringing was the absence of holidays.  He knew that he should have been more disturbed by the abuse and neglect and all around brainwashing that she’d endured, but for some reason the holiday thing hit him pretty hard.  A whole life with no Christmas or New Years or St. Patrick’s Day--none of it!

            The solution was clear, Clint was on a mission to make every holiday that he spent with his new companion phenomenal.  It wasn’t exactly a difficult feat since Clint lived for the holidays, and Natasha had never even experienced them so the bar was already set pretty low.  Still, Clint did his best to go all out for everything.

            The first holiday that they shared was Easter.  Clint had planned an extravagant Easter Egg Hunt that involved scaling buildings and navigating some underground tunnels.  Still Natasha, had smoked him in finding all the eggs, and he was the one who hid them in the first place.

            “You’ll have to up your game next time, Barton,” Natasha said as she put all her eggs in the colorful basket that Clint gave her.

            “Challenge accepted, Romanoff,” Clint said looking at his basket that had a total of four eggs in it.

            The next one was the Fourth of July.  Clint had gone over the top with fireworks, and hosted a barbeque for all of SHIELD to attend.  It was a party to remember that most of the attendees wound up forgetting due to the amounts of alcohol that Clint had provided.  Still, Natasha was able to hold her own liquor and watched every single last firework with him--that is until the fire marshal came and shut them down.  Still, Natasha seemed to like them enough, as she watched all of them as they glistened in her eyes.

            “The food wasn’t half bad,” Natasha said as Clint made up the guest room for her.

            “Yeah?  The Fourth of July Barbecue is kind of a big deal.  I hope you’re not just saying that to be nice,” Clint teased.

            She rolled her eyes.  “Don’t worry, I definitely wouldn’t want to inflate your ego.”

            The next holiday was Halloween.  This was one of Clint’s favorite.  He borrowed his niece for the evening, which his brother Barney was eternally grateful for.  He and Natasha dressed up as Sally and Jack and took his niece trick or treating door to door.  When they got back to Clint’s house they had a scary movie marathon, and Clint wound up hiding behind Natasha for most of it.  

            “Why did you suggest this movie if it freaks you out so much?” Natasha laughed as Michael Myers popped out on the screen.

            “I forgot.  Just tell me when this part’s over,” Clint mumbled from behind her shoulder.

            For Thanksgiving he brought her over to Barney’s house and they had a very traditional Thanksgiving.  Barney told a ton of embarrassing stories, and made way too much food. He even sent both of them home with leftovers.  

            “Barney’s nice,” Natasha said as they were walking out to the car.

            “Yeah, sometimes,” Clint joked.

            “You do realize that your tradition is grossly ignoring the fate of the Native American peoples that was a direct result of colonialism, right?” Natasha asked as she took a seat in the passenger seat.

            Clint took his seat and nodded.  “Yeah--it’s a flaw. Now we just terrorize retail workers for 48 hours in exchange.”

            Christmas came next and it was one of the best times that Clint ever had.  Clint celebrated the entire season. That meant Christmas caroling and taking pictures with Santa Claus.  They watched every horrible holiday flick that the Hallmark Channel put out, and Natasha only complained about the plot every so often.  They baked cookies and sent out Christmas cards to everyone they knew. They decorated the tree together and he even made her send a letter to Santa--that he of course read and made sure that she got every gift that she asked for.  

            “Thanks for this,” Natasha said as she led Clint towards the front door.

            “I should be thanking you,” Clint said.  “In case it wasn’t clear. I kind of love Christmas.”

            Natasha grinned as she pointed up above them.  Mistletoe.

            “That’s weird,” Clint said honestly.  “I don’t remember putting any…” he looked to her.  She was grinning wickedly.

            Natasha leaned in and kissed him sweetly.  “Merry Christmas, Barton.”

            The following holiday was New Years.  New Years wasn’t as fun as Christmas but they went out to a bar and watched the ball drop!  Natasha was his New Year’s kiss and while Clint was never one for cliches, he didn’t mind that part one bit.

            “Happy New Year,” she said with a smile.  “Thanks for all the holiday stuff.”

            “What holiday stuff?” Clint asked, Natasha wasn’t supposed to know that he was doing this all for her.

            She opened her mouth to argue but she stopped and smiled.  “Thanks for including me.”

            The last holiday was the trickiest one.  Valentine’s Day. This was a minefield that Clint wasn’t quite sure how to navigate.  He and Natasha had kissed and even spent the night together on more than one occasion, but they hadn’t exactly put a label on anything.  Would he be too bold to do something for Valentine’s Day, or would she be hurt that he didn’t do anything at all? So he decided to do it.  

            That said it didn’t make things much easier.  Natasha was complex. She was definitely not the kind of girl that he could just give flowers and candy.  There was no way that would satisfy her, or be anywhere near worthy of her. Naturally, he went shopping. He looked through every store imaginable, until he found it.

            He invited Natasha out to a nice dinner.  It was nicer than any place he’d ever gone before, but if he was going to do this, he was gonna do it right.  Natasha seemed to be amused by his choice in location, but he figured at least some part of their evening should be traditional.  

            When they got back to his apartment, Clint handed her a single red rose.  She gave him a look as she accepted it. Clint then handed her the box. It was a long, thin, rectangular box.  

            Natasha eyed the box carefully as she took it from Clint.  She looked back up at him and he motioned to the box. She slowly opened it and smiled.  It was a white gold arrow necklace, but what it made it particularly special was the miniature built in camera.  This way she could review any encounter that she had after the fact. It was every spy’s dream.

            “The arrow is kind of your thing,” Natasha said after she stared at it for a while.

            Clint nodded.  “Can you spot the camera--”

            “Of course, I’m me,” she teased.  “You want me to wear your… _emblem_?”

            He shrugged.  “If you don’t like the symbol I can get you the widow one--”

            “Don’t,” she said quietly.  “I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”

            Clint nodded.  “I mean we’re spending Valentine’s Day together, Romanoff.  I think that it means what you think it means.”

            “Good,” she said as she cracked a smile.  


End file.
